The Biu Emirate is a traditional state based in Biu in

Borno State Borno State is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon, its northern border ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. Prior to 1920 it was referred to as the Biu Kingdom.

History

The rulers of Biu are numbered from Abdullahi, later known as Yamta-ra-Wala or Yamta the Great, who established his rule about 1535.Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (1980) "Biu" ''Burke's Royal Families of the World: Africa & the Middle East'' (Volume 2 of ''Burke's royal families of the world'') Burke's Peerage, London, page 177, Around 1670, in the reign of Mari Watila Tampta, it became known as a kingdom. The main ethnic group is the Babur/Bura people, related to the

Kanuri people The Kanuri people (Kanouri, Kanowri, also Yerwa, Baribari and several subgroup names) are an List of ethnic groups of Africa, African ethnic group living largely in the lands of the former Kanem Empire, Kanem and Bornu Empires in Niger, Nigeria ...

. The founder was said to have come from elsewhere, captured the main town in the area, then founded a new capital in Dlimbur, which is now an archaeological site. His descendants formed two rival dynasties, one at Kogu and the other in nearby

Mandaragirau Mandaragirau (also spelled Mandara Girau) is a town in Borno State, Borno State, Nigeria. History Mandaragirau was important in the history of the Pabir tribe and the present Biu Emirate. The history of the Dagil clan, direct descendants of Ya ...

. King Mari Watirwa (r. 1793–1838) of Kogu defeated Fulani invaders from the

Gombe Emirate The Gombe Emirate (Fula: Lamurde Gombe 𞤤𞤢𞤥𞤮𞤪𞤣𞤫 𞤺𞤮𞤥𞤥𞤦𞤫) is a traditional state in Nigeria that roughly corresponds in area to the modern Gombe State. Gombe state also contains the emirates of Dukku, Deba, ...

to the west. In 1878 Mari Biya, became the first Bura king to rule from Biu. The emir's palace is now situated in the town. With British rule, Biu division was created in 1918. Mai Ari Dogo was acknowledged as the first emir of Biu in 1920. The area became known as the Biu federation after 1957, when the districts of Shani and Askira were added to the emirate. The Biu Emirate includes the Biu,

Hawul Hawul is a Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. It's located in the southern part of the state. Is headquarters are in the town of Azare. It has an area of 2,098 km and a population of about 120,000 at the 2006 census. The post ...

, Kwaya Kusar and Bayo local government areas. The Biu Emirate has by convention always produced the Deputy Governor of Borno State, representing the south of the state. Until recently, the Biu Emirate was one of three in

, the others being the

Borno Emirate The Borno Emirate or Borno Sultanate is a traditional Nigerian state formed at the start of the 20th century. It is headed by descendants of the rulers of the Bornu Empire, founded before 1000. The rulers have the title Shehu of Borno (var. Shehu ...

and the

Dikwa Emirate The Dikwa Emirate is one of the successor states to the old Bornu Empire, a traditional state within Borno State, Nigeria. It was established in 1901 at the start of the colonial period after the Bornu empire had been partitioned between the Briti ...

. In March 2010 the Borno State Governor

Ali Modu Sheriff Ali Modu Sheriff (born 1956) is a Nigerian politician. He is Borno State's first governor to serve two consecutive terms (2003–2011). Though Sheriff had held two elected offices as a member of All Nigeria People's Party, he would later join ...

split the old Dikwa Emirate into the new Bama and Dikwa Emirates. This triggered petitions from the people of Hawul, Kwaya Kusar and Bayo to also have separate chiefdoms, which the governor had stated he would do "if the need arises".

Rulers

Mai Biu, also styled Kuthli, were: Emirs were:

Local Government Areas in Biu Emirate

Biu Emirate covers four

Local Government Areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phrase i ...

: * Biu * Bayo *

* Kwaya Kusar

References

{{Nigerian traditional states History of Nigeria Borno State Nigerian traditional states Emirates